


New World, New Rules

by DxTURA



Category: When Worlds Collide (1951)
Genre: Multi, Poly Relationship, based off the end of the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:07:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28242117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DxTURA/pseuds/DxTURA
Summary: Humanity is bound by rules--rules that can easily be broken.April Fiverr Commission
Relationships: Dave Randall/Joyce Hendron/Tony Drake
Collections: Urbinazation Works





	New World, New Rules

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, thanks for reading!!!
> 
> This fic was requested by a buyer on Fiverr. Should they no longer want it up on AO3, they can request me to remove it at any time!  
> I hope you enjoy!

Tony Drake was a man that never went back on his word. His meticulous planning was always down to a T, and he never went back on any of his plans.

Though, he had one fatal flaw: he was _terrible_ at controlling his feelings.

 _So_ terrible, it seems, that he found himself slip into icy water and in the emergency infirmary the nurses had set up near camps. His right leg was injured, his entire side was bruised, and now he had to suffer with boiling hot drinking water. Was this even safe for him?

This wouldn’t have happened if he wasn’t thinking about his decisions up until this very moment. One moment he was perfectly okay with his contributions, and now he felt like he was going to cry.

If he was a young boy, that is.

His thoughts were interrupted by a light flap of the tent’s doors before they were whisked away by the two people who caused this grief to sweep him to begin with.

Joyce Hendron and David Randall.

“Dave, I thought you said you had manners?” Joyce cupped a hand over her mouth; she always had this goofy grin on her when she laughed, and it was sad for Tony to see that it didn’t belong to him anymore.

“That’s if I’m not about to have a stroke, my dear,” Dave rushed inside. He didn’t bother asking for permission.” Tony, what the hell? Why didn’t you tell us that you fell?”

“C’mon, Dave. It’s ice water. It’s not a big deal.”

“We have _no_ idea how cold that water can get; you could’ve frozen to death!”

“Oh, c’mon you two. You _lovebirds_ have so much more to worry about – like where to spend your honeymoon.” The venom in his voice was _real_. “You shouldn’t ever have to worry about someone like me.”

Joyce blinked, and Dave took a small step back. Honeymoon? Lovebirds?

Joyce was the first one to break the quiet. “Tony… is there something bothering you?”

Oops. He had said too much.

Dave took the initiative and sat right next to him, slinging an arm over his shoulders and pulling him in a little closer than before. Tony hissed; hadn’t he heard of a personal bubble?

“Watch the arm—”

“You would’ve winced if it hurt.” Dave knew him like the back of his hand. They had only known each other for a couple of months, “Is there somethin’ you wanna tell us, Doc?”

Doc. Oh, how Tony _hated_ when Dave used that. It was like he was a child being scolded.

No, he wasn’t saying _shit_.

“We’re all adults here, you know.” Dave pulled him a little closer. “We can always talk it out.”

“I’m very well _aware_ we are all adults, that doesn’t mean we have to… oh, whatever.” He lowered his voice, “Send the nurses out.”

Joyce gave the two strangers knowing looks and they immediately skedaddled. She took the empty spot on his left as an opportunity to sit next to him.

Tony rolled his eyes. “You two won’t leave me to my devices, hm?”

“Not after you said that,” Dave grinned, “Out with it, Tony. We’ve got a lot more work on Zyra, and we can’t have you hogging _all_ the attention.”

“Alright, alright… the truth is,” He gulped, “The truth is: I’m jealous and I’m angry.”

Both of them furrowed their eyebrows in unison. Gah, geez, must they _really_ react like that?!

“I did everything I could at the request of Dr. Hendron for you, and for Joyce,” Tony’s voice cracked, “I’m glad I did so, but I’m still upset. I’m upset that she chose _you_ over me. However, I know – deep down – I can’t change a damn thing about this.”

Everyone fell quiet now. The smiles, gone. The tension, thick. What were they supposed to say? To think? Tony had never looked so defeated in his life.

“I’ve fought with myself. I’ve told myself that everything I do now, I do for you two… th-that I would never come between—”

Dave interrupted. “Come between—Tony, _you’re_ not the one who came between Joyce. It was me.” He frowned. “I was the one.”

Joyce wanted to jump into the discussion, but Dave held his hand up. He wasn’t finished.

“Dr. Hendron damn well knew what he was doing before we left him on Earth, and he went through with it _despite_ me refusing the offer.” Dave was craving a cigarette. Bad. A shame he didn’t buy one last pack before he left. “My only job was to deliver the information on Zyra to the scientists. I wasn’t expecting to end up in a situation like this!”

Tony wanted to call him a liar, but he couldn’t. Simple as that. He knew _very_ well what Dr. Hendron had done, and he had no control over the final say. Dave practically chanted how useless he was, but Joyce’s father insisted.

Yet, knowing all of this, why couldn’t he stop feeling so _infuriated_?

Joyce – overwhelmed by it all – finally spoke, albeit in whispers. “Now, boys...”

Tony snapped his head in her direction. “What, Joyce? You can’t say anything. You were the one who picked _him_ over _me_.”

“I haven’t picked _anyone_ yet!”

The cracks in her voice made _everyone_ shut up.

“What?”

“Joyce...”

“I just… Tony you _and_ my father know how my heart can be – and my heart is _very_ much a complicated matter right now.” She tugged at her hair, “It’s split in two! When all the calculations lined up, I didn’t know what to think. To have my life end in mere moments, why-- I’ve had to force myself into every bad decision up until now.”

They both continued to stare. “I didn’t want regrets. I love Tony and I love you, Dave, but I’m not sure if I’m ready for marriage. For commitment. I’m not sure what I’d do if I had to choose between the two of you...”

She started sobbing. The tears were already pricking her eyes, but what else could she say? Love was complicated.

Time felt like it passed so slowly around them – at least, until, Dave came up with a shocking proposal.

“Well, who says you have to choose between us?”

If a record could scratch, it scratched right there. What was this man on?

“No, think about it. A new world comes with new rules. We’ve been following the old coots ways of living, that we can come up with our own,” He looked to Tony, “and, being honest, sharing you with the doctor here would put my burdens at ease.”

Tony blank-faced. “I’m not following.”

“Oh, come now Tony, what say you?” Dave held his hand out, “Let’s give this three-way relationship a shot.”

He decided to let his mind wander at the proposition; as crazy as it sounds, it was quite _tempting_ to go along with this idea…

Tony wasn’t sure what to think. A three-way relationship? There was such a thing as “sharing” a lover? How would this even _work_? Surely he knew Tony could be a little… possessive.

Still, he didn’t _balk_ at the proposition; he and Joyce could get married. Dave and Joyce could figure their feelings out… maybe it could be a win-win?

He wasn’t too fond of it, so he didn’t say anything right then and there. Instead, he told them to leave him alone for awhile.

He’d sort his thoughts out. Maybe, he’d even say yes.


End file.
